Thursday, January 9, 2014

Watchfulness

Cannon Beach, Oregon

The Guarding of the Heart

Watchfulness has been described by Elder Ephraim of
Philotheou as “the axe which shatters the large trees, hitting their
roots. When the root is struck, it doesn’t spring up again.” A conscientious attention to our thoughts is an important tactic in spiritual warfare, and is necessary if we are to have effective weapons that are
stronger than those of the enemy.

Saint Paisios
of the Holy Mountain tells us about some of the consequences of not
being watchful. “When our soul lives carelessly without watching over
its thoughts, it will consequently fill up with dirty and sly thoughts.As
a result, people start developing psychological problems which
gradually pile up.... Some people, while they are found in this
situation and come face to face with the problem itself, they do not
realize it, and thus are unable to humbly confess to their spiritual
father their fall. Instead, they look for a “secular” solution and
consult a psychiatrist, who will inevitably prescribe medication... The
only solution is to become aware of the problem and confess it to a
spiritual father and then humbly follow his advice."

Watchfulness
and the Jesus Prayer are weapons that mutually reinforce
each other, as constant prayer goes with watchfulness and attentiveness
of the intellect. A Christian life without watchfulness, is doomed to
failure.

With love in Christ,

Abbot Tryphon

Thursday January 9, 2014 / December 27, 201329th Week after Pentecost. Tone three. Sviatki. Fast-freeThird Day of the Feast of the Nativity.
Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen (34).
Venerable Theodore
Graptus ("the Branded") of Palestine and Bithynia, confessor (840),
brother of St. Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer (850).
New Hieromartyrs Tikhon, archbishop of Voronezh and with him 160 martyred priests (1919).
Virgin-Martyr Antonina (1937).St. Theodore, archbishop of Constantinople (686).
Uncovering of Relics (1514) of Venerable Pherapont of Mozhaisk, Luzhetsk.
Venerable Luke, monk, of Tryglia.
St. Maximus, bishop of Alexandria (282).
St. Maurice and the Theban Legion. (Candidus, Innocent, Exuperius and 6,600 others) (302).

You can read the life of the saint by clicking on the highlighted name.

THANKS to all of you who have been able to contribute towards the
support of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship
have impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to
donate, have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity,
and kindness.
With love in Christ, Abbot Tryphon

Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:

Hebrews 7:1-6

The King of Righteousness

7 For
this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met
Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to
whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated
“king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of
peace,” 3 without
father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of
days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest
continually.4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And
indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood,
have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the
law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins
of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

Mark 11:27-33

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

27 Then
they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the
chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28 And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33 So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”